Burns Dinner celebrates Celtic spirit

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On Saturday, the Gold Country Celtic Society will be host the 22nd annual Robert Burns Dinner and Ceilidh in Nevada City’s historic Miners Foundry Cultural Center.

Once again, the Foundry’s Stone Hall will be richly decorated in the manner of an 18th century Scottish castle. According to The Nevada Democrat, the first celebration of Robert Burns’ birth in Nevada City took place Jan. 25, 1859, at the Hotel De Paris.

This year’s festivities will begin with a 4 p.m. social hour, where conviviality will abound down the steps at the Brigadoon Arms Pub. There, a variety of beverages will be offered, including a single-malt Scotch whiskey and wines from a local Nevada County vintner.

Dinner seating begins at 5:30 p.m.. At 6 p.m., inimitable caterer Antonio will present a savory multi-course feast. As always, much of the pageantry of Robbie Burns’ bygone days will be reflected during the dinner hour. A wee dram (single-malt of course) will accompany the many toasts — the playing of the pipes, the “Address to the Haggis,” the “Toast to the Lassies” and the “Immortal Memory Address” representing the honored traditions of The Bard.

At dinner’s end, guests will adjourn to the Great Hall where Golden Bough, a trio of modern-day minstrels popular on both sides of the Atlantic, will perform traditional Celtic music of the seven Celtic nations: Ireland, Scotland, Wales, Cornwall, The Isle of Man, Brittany and Galicia.

This is a special event, so formal or semi-formal Scottish attire or other semi-formal apparel is appropriate. Tickets are $55 per person. For information or reservations, go to the Nevada City Chamber of Commerce, 132 Main St. in Nevada City, or call Nancy Crapo at (530) 272-1316. Learn more at www.nevadacountycelticclub.org.